lymorkiew45
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/30/07
Posts: 737
Loc: In the dark, and way out there...
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Hello, I have observed many objects, and I find that globular clusters, and planetary nebulas are my favorite, of course if I got out to a dark sight galaxies would also be my favorite, well they are my favorite, I just can't see 16th mag fuzzies from my observing sight, I would love to do that, and I will soon be getting a much bigger dobsonian and I would definitely have to put galaxies on my list...clear skies 
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Jorgen
Starfinder 16 dob: Zambuto Optics! 
DS-10
Orion XT12i: The optics are special! 
Z12
All the Lanthanum superwides!
Orion ultrablock filter
9mm Nagler type 6
15mm, 25mm, 35mm Ultrascopics
Orion Shorty Plus barlow
Orion Lazer Collimator
40" Webster: Under Construction 
http://cleardarksky.com/c/SanJoseCAkey.html?1
20 years in Southern Dragon Kung Fu, or dragon style embellished in magical arms.
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alienux
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/17/08
Posts: 678
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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I like them all, but nebula are probably my favorite.
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Brian
Orion SkyView Pro 127mm EQ Mak
Meade 60mm Push-To TeleStar
Phillips SPC900NC
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starbux
sage
Reged: 02/08/06
Posts: 291
Loc: Silicon Valley, CA
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Under light-polluted skies, I am becoming partial to open clusters.
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 12230
Loc: Los Angeles
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It's changed through the years. Now, it's galaxies. Good thing, because there are so many of them.
In terms of numbers of objects visible in amateur scopes, there are:
150+/- globulars
1000 planetary nebulae
5000 open star clusters
1000+/- visual nebulae
untold thousands of galaxies (probably over 20,000 in a 12.5")
So it's possible to see all of the first 3, but it's simply not possible to see all the last.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov, Fujinon Binos
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member
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galaxyman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/04/05
Posts: 1472
Loc: Limerick, Pa
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Guess 
Karl
E.O.H.
Chesmont Astronomical Society
Telekit (Swayze optics) 22" F/4.5 Dob
Homemade (Parks Optics) 12.5" F/4.8 Dob
TMB 8" F/9 Refractor(The Beast)
Astrozap 6" f/8 Refractor
Orion 4" f/6 Refractor
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So many galaxies, so little time!
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AlanK
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/26/07
Posts: 512
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
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Galaxies due to the vast number and varieties. Globulars and planetries come next.
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Clear skies!
18 inch f4.5 Obsession #1637
12 inch f5.4 reflector
Just another frozen astronomer
Kumeu Observatory
Auckland NZ
7,276 deep sky objects incl 4,670 ngcs
Who dares - observes!
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Josh U
member
Reged: 07/10/07
Posts: 42
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I like galaxies because they're remote. And possibly because I always drooled over them when I was using binoculars. Now I can see a few with the dob!
Globular Clusters are super nice, too.
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"How you do anything is how you do everything."
Zhumell 10" dob
80mm Refractor
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Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5028
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
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Galaxies and galaxy clusters are my favorite DSO's hands down.
Taras
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15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
Two curious cats
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VanJan
sage
Reged: 07/09/08
Posts: 222
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I think you'll find for most observers under light-polluted skies (as I am), open and globular clusters will be the favorites (as they are mine). But lest not forget. If one defines deep-sky as anything beyond the solar system, one must include double stars as a potential favorite (again, as they are mine). If forced to choose only one favorite, it would be open clusters.
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mtngoat62
sage
Reged: 12/04/06
Posts: 200
Loc: Colorado
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Nebulae! 
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Laurie
Orion 10XTi f/4.7 w/padded case
Pentax XWs
7mm,10mm,20mm
TV 13mm Ethos
DGM NPB filter
Orion O-III filter
Baader Moon & Skyglow Filter
Telrad Finder w/riser
Astro Chair
Howie Glatter Collimator w/Barlow
Telegizmo Dob Cover
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Steven Aggas
sage
Reged: 04/15/08
Posts: 463
Loc: Arizona
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Abell Galaxy Clusters. There's just something about seeing faint fuzzies, whether it was in my 8", 20", or the 36", and knowing they are interacting on a grand scale.
Steven
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Mr. Wizard
Walking on a Dob: http://darkskyobserving.com/MtGraham.html
Elements in Harmony I, an 8"f6 German Equatorial - Stellafane Winner,
II a 20"f4.2 Newt-Dob - Astrofest Winner,
III a 6"f3.5 Finder/Newt-Dob, and
IV a 36"f4.5 Newt-Dob - "If it's up there, it's in here."
Apache-Sitgreaves Center for Astrophysics
www.DarkSkyObserving.com
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RAKing
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/28/07
Posts: 2092
Loc: West of the D.C. Nebula
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Galaxies have long been my faves. But with the LP here in the D.C. area, I get better views of the globular clusters, so they have become my new faves. 
Ron
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Time spent looking at the stars is added to your life.
Tak FS-128, C925-CF, C6SE, other stray cats and refractors.
A-P Mach1 GTO
Zeiss orthos to Ethos - and some stuff in between.
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John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1663
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Another vote for galaxies.
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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Thomas_N
member
Reged: 07/07/08
Posts: 25
Loc: Germany, Bavarian Forest
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Since I use binoculars most of the time - mainly because I *have* dark, non-light-polluted skies , I prefer milky-way-objects. Meaning: stars, asterisms, open/globular clusters or bright/dark nebulae.
Thomas
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stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2648
Loc: Arizona, USA
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I will go with planetary nebulae...I love that they are the material from the end of the star's life and our Sun will do that same thing one of these days also. But, I love it all to be honest.
Clear skies to us all;
Steve Coe
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TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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Ptarmigan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 2364
Loc: Arctic
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Star clusters because you can see them anywhere and they all look different. Galaxies are cool, but you need a dark sky location.
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Ptarmigans=Cute and Cuddly
Meade Starfinder 8
Nikon 10x50
Rebel XT
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scopethis
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/30/08
Posts: 638
Loc: Kingman, Ks
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Open star clusters--diamonds in the sky.
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Fireball
sage
Reged: 03/24/06
Posts: 347
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Everything, but I very much like hunting galaxies under dark skies 
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20x90 Bino
12" Lightbridge
Meade UWAs, TV Ethoi, Pentax XW, Hyperion, AT Titan.
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10516
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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I think that globular clusters are the most attractive type of DSO in terms of visual impact.
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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xfile101
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/08/07
Posts: 759
Loc: Ocean Gate, NJ
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For some 20+ years globular clusters have always been a favorite of mine but for some strange reason I'm getting a bit bored with them. Having toured Sagittarius, Ophucius (I can never spell that correctly) and Scorpious for the unteenth time I guess is why I'm a little bored with them. Anyway, Planetary Nebula has since taken over the favs category (with NGC6826, the Blinking Nebula, at the top) and Open Clusters are creeping in quite a bit lately too (M-6 and M-7 are stunning!) 
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Orion XT8I
Celestron 114EQ Firstscope
Meade 70mm
Astroscan
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Bill Weir
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 1299
Loc: Metchosin (Victoria), Canada
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Dude, that's like asking which is your favorite child.
Going with that thought, I'll vote for multiple objects within one FOV like, NGC 6939 with NGC 6946, NGC 6712 with IC 1295, Galaxy clusters, conjunctions of planets with DSOs or comets with DSOs, multiple stars, etc....
Bill
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6'' Orion SkyQuest
12.5'' f/5 Custom Truss Dob
William Optics 80mm ZenithStar ED II
f/5 25" newtonian on a giant GEM, any time I want
Observing sessions grand total for 2008, 121.
So far in 2009, 92
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stevek
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/16/06
Posts: 1289
Loc: west michigan
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biggest thrill from galaxies -> gal clusters -> planetary nebs... but in truth... its all good.
Steve
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DSO 8" f6 DOB w/ 8x50 RACI & 2"Crayford
1958 Sears Discoverer 76mm Refractor
GSO SV 30mm 2",21mm Hyp,13mm Strat,BO/TMB 6mm&4mm
1.25"Filters: DGM-NPB, 25%ND
1.25" plossls: 25mm,20mm,15mm,9mm
Orion 2X Shorty Barlow
Garrett Gemini LW 11x56mm binocs
cheap $10 green laser pointer(hongkong express)
"What is that burning in the sky? Tell me y'all..." Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1925
Loc: Cayce, SC
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I guess because my skies are so polluted, I'm looking for things that "look like something." So, other than the moon and planets, I'm into open clusters and bright double stars right now. But just wait until I get to a dark site, then anything's possible.
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--Dawg, the Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Orion 120ST ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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GlennLeDrew
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 1304
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Space dust. Meaning dark and reflection nebulae, particularly the former.
From the dark skies easily accessible just a short drive outside Ottawa, the milky way is riven with seemingly countless dark rifts and clouds. In fact, I navigate the milky way not by star-hopping, but by cloud-hopping! I don't need to look away from my binocular eyepieces to know where I'm looking, and can scan all night without getting lost.
Reflection nebulae require darker skies than as for emission types, both because of generally lower surface brightness and the fact that you can't employ nebula filters. So they present more of a challenge, observationally. But more importantly for me, there's something intriguing about starlight being scattered by gauzy agglomerations of smoke-sized particles which aeons ago spewed out of bloated, dying stars much like what our Sun will become in a few billion years.
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Home-made Mk II RA bino, using interchangeable objectives and eyepieces
My Gallery
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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calan
sage
Reged: 06/16/07
Posts: 457
Loc: Oklahoma City, OK
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Anything I can actually see detail in... which in my skies is usually the 4-5 nice nebula with a UHC or O-III filter.
Globs are ok, but after a while I find myself in that "just another dim round ball/been here done this" mindset. Galaxies are about the same, because it usually takes a lot of averted imagination to actually see anything (although I'm starting to actually find an interesting one every now and then; see my recent "Bright Galaxies" post about NGC7331  ).
And then of course last night was the first time I've observed the Blue Snowball PN, and it pretty much jumped out of the EP and smacked me in the face when I first rolled over it
My actual favorites list contains a bit of all the eye candy, but I enjoy the hunt somewhat also.
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Orion f/4.7 XT10 (completely rebuilt, DOB or GEM mountable...details here)
Meade f/5 LXD75 6" Newt w/mods
Nikon 10x50 AE Extreme
Hyperion 8-24mm Zoom
Astro-tech 20mm SWA (2)
Siebert Optics BK bino/Power Mag Wheel
Various Plossls
Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a bannana.
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Mr. Bill
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/09/05
Posts: 3149
Loc: Just passing through.....
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Dark nebulae....
I like the contrast of the dark nebulae against the background starfields in the MW galactic arms.
This requires the darkest skies and the best contrast optics to fully appreciate.
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10x50 Fujinon binos + 16x70 Fujinon binos + UA UniMount
Oberwerk BT100 45 degree +24mm Pans + Hercules fork mount
120mm f/5 Orion achromat + Moonlite focuser
130mm TMB 130SS f/7 APO refractor
140mm f/5.7 Vixen NeoAchro Petzvel refractor
150mm f/8 homemade achromat
8 inch newt with f/5 Swayze mirror
10 inch f/4.7 Orion newt + Paracorr
15 inch f/5 Discovery "Galactic Cannon"
Member IDA
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diggy
sage
Reged: 05/09/04
Posts: 305
Loc: Vancouver Island, Canada
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The ones I can find 
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WO 110mm Megrez doublet on an HEQ-5 mount
Nikon 10x50 binocs
"Beyond here be there"
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10516
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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Quote:
Dark nebulae....
I like the contrast of the dark nebulae against the background starfields in the MW galactic arms.
This requires the darkest skies and the best contrast optics to fully appreciate.
I also particularly enjoy looking at the dark side. The Ink Spot, Barnard's E, the Pipe Nebula, and the Coal Sack are among my favorites.
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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Luis.E
sage
Reged: 01/30/04
Posts: 280
Loc: Portugal
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Planetary nebulas, no discussion for me.
Regards
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" we're just a chemical scum " Stephen Hawking.
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moron392
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 08/20/07
Posts: 813
Loc: Charlotte, NC
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open and globular clusters. i also like some nebulae.......
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"If you've done something right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all."
http://www.freewebs.com/moron392/index.htm
60mm meade ngc60 refractor.
Meade 70AZ-TR (short one)
50mm homemade refractor (occasionally with a solar filter)
starblast4.5EQ
6mm,15mm expanse eyepieces
9mm meade Mh eyepiece,17.5mm Meade MA
nikon 7x35's
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Mta472
member
Reged: 02/28/06
Posts: 94
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If you're hoping that buying a big light bucket will enable you to see many more galaxies under your light polluted skies, save your money or move first. Light bucket size scopes do not discriminate in the light they gather, whteher its from a distant galaxy or light pollution. I live in CT and learned this the expensive way. Mike 
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pdfermat
super member
Reged: 11/12/07
Posts: 172
Loc: Wisconsin
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Quote:
If you're hoping that buying a big light bucket will enable you to see many more galaxies under your light polluted skies, save your money or move first. Light bucket size scopes do not discriminate in the light they gather, whteher its from a distant galaxy or light pollution. I live in CT and learned this the expensive way. Mike
I must be right on the lucky side of the suburban LP (on a good clear night, I think my skies are about mag 4), because I'm getting a lot of enjoyment out of some of the "easier" galaxy targets. I can see a dark lane splitting M82 in half, a little whisping around M51, M81 and M63, and a hint of the black eye in M64. (However, the detail that I do see in galaxies all comes from averted vision).
On a second note, the math geek in me is tracking the results of this thread on an Excel spreadsheet (yeah, I know). Depending upon how each post is interpreted, the numbers can vary a bit, but here are the results so far (and I'm including my favorites - galaxies and planetary nebula):
In first place, we have nebulae at 31% (with 15 of those percentage points specifically planetary).
A close second, galaxies at 27%.
Globs are next, at 19%.
Open clusters are closely trailing globs at 17%.
Doubles weigh in at 6%.
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Pat
Orion XT8i
TV 32mm, 25mm, 20mm, 15mm Plossls
Orion Shorty-Plus Barlow
DGM NPB Filter
Lumicon Deep Sky Filter
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Astraforce Paul
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/05/05
Posts: 1879
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Hey, we should make this a poll!
I'd probably pick globulars... I like them in multiple ways:
1. set in their big sky context, e.g., in a rich field scope, where they can be bright, small globes floating in space.
2. But then as well I enjoy the up close and personal view with higher magnification in bigger scopes, with stars glittering across the field.
3. My other enjoyment is using a zoom and flying deep into them--if you haven't tried that, you're missing out on a real Star Trek experience! They appear in the distance and then get closer and closer, exploding in a cascade of stars. Quite impressive! (I also recommend doing this with the Moon and the brighter nebula, especially the Ring Nebula!)
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joelimite
sage
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 235
Loc: Fayetteville, AR
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Visually, it's probably a tie between nebulae and globular clusters. I like nebulae because each one is so unique in appearance. However, globular clusters are a visual treat as well simply for the sheer number of stars they contain.
Intellectually though, I enjoy galaxies most of all. While the majority of them are mere smudges in the eyepiece (at least from my light-polluted skies), the knowledge of what they are makes them a sight to behold.
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Orion XT8 Dob w/ Moonlite 2-speed Crayford focuser, Vixen A80MF w/ GSO 2-speed Crayford and Porta Mount
32mm Televue Plossl, 31mm Hyperion Aspheric, 24mm Meade SWA, 17,13,8mm Hyperions, 6,5,4mm TMB Planetary, 5mm Baader Genuine Ortho
Garrett Optical 20x80 UL Binoculars, Nikon Action Extreme 10x50 Binoculars
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16395
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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Globular clusters are my favorite type of deep sky object.
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Ted
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Big Wall
member
Reged: 12/07/08
Posts: 91
Loc: Denver
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Globular clusters have been my favorite objects ever since I saw my first picture of one (M13) 19 years ago.
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Orion XT8I
Celestron C102-HD
Celestron Upclose 10X50 binoculars
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Ray4852
sage
Reged: 09/30/08
Posts: 402
Loc: Arcade, NY
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Galaxies, comets, globular clusters, and double stars.
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Home Built 18 dobsonian
Panoptic 27mm
Tele vue 16mm 9mm naglers
Tele vue big barlow
Telrad and DSC
deepsky and skytools software
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StarmanDan
sage
Reged: 08/27/07
Posts: 392
Loc: China Spring, Texas
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Galaxies (when I can get out of the city to see them), otherwise it's clusters and the brighter nebulae.
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"Starman" Dan Doyle
Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas
Central Texas Astronomical Society
8" LX200GPS w/ST80 guidescope, Canon 350D+DSI Pro
150mm f/8 Sky Watcher Refractor
10" f/4.5 Homemade Dob
RV-6 Criterion Dynascope
http://darcstar.wordpress.com
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Hrundi
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: Estonia
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Definitely galaxies. Teasing out their presence and features is rewarding.
I'm actually surprised at my lack of love for globs. They're great to find, and look great, but they don't hold my attention for some reason. Don't feel a need to study them.
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Alpha Orionis
super member
Reged: 06/04/09
Posts: 104
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah
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Galaxies
Globs
Nebulae (planetary and other)
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Astronomical Observation Equipment:
Zhumell Z12 Deluxe
Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ
10x50 Bushnell Binos
A good Pair of eyes
Home Observation site:
Salt Lake City
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acey
member
Reged: 01/09/09
Posts: 39
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1. Galaxies, especially groups and clusters - because they enable us to appreciate the largest-scale structures in the universe. And they're so numerous!
2. Nebulae - nice when I look at them, though it's not nearly as often as galaxies. Fun to try effect of filtering etc. Haven't done much observing of dark nebulae but it's a to-do.
3. Globs.
I'm not a big fan of open clusters - I do them when ticking off observing lists (Herschel etc) but don't go out of my way to see them. Nice in binos and small scope (or from light polluted site) but I prefer to use larger aperture (and drive to darker skies) to see farther. Pure prejudice I know, but that's what this hobby's all about - sampling what's on offer and finding your own taste. Plenty to choose up there.
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kroum
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/28/08
Posts: 630
Loc: Santa Clara, CA
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Quote:
Dude, that's like asking which is your favorite child.
Going with that thought, I'll vote for multiple objects within one FOV like, NGC 6939 with NGC 6946, NGC 6712 with IC 1295, Galaxy clusters, conjunctions of planets with DSOs or comets with DSOs, multiple stars, etc....
Bill
I'll second that, multi object field of views are just breath-taking.
I want to say that galaxies are my favorite, but I am somewhat apperture limited at the moment, so hopefully in the future they will be.
As I am also dark-sky challenged, this year I have been observing more open clusters, and have been enjoying them very much in my 4inch achromat.
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10in Hardin Optical Dob
100mm f6 Orion Achromat
6in Orion Short Tube Reflector
15X70 Barska Binoculars
32mm Astrola (Boo!)
25mm, 12.5mm Sterling Plossls
20mm Orion Expanse
9mm Hardin (GSO) Plossl
7.5mm Orion Ultrascopic
Ultima 2X shorty barlow
Turn on, tune in, and look through the eyepiece.
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Chris Greene
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/04/05
Posts: 535
Loc: Dark Sky, Idaho
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I've come to like star chains and asterisms more and more. I'd note something while locating such and such an object but recently have been dwelling on these items instead. I'm fascinated by them. These would be mostly Mag 9-11 items (guessing based on the aperture of my scopes).
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Tele Vue Pronto/Telepod
Tele Vue NP-101/Gibraltar/Sky Tour
Questar 3.5 Standard
Celestron FS 80 EQ WA
Canon 10x30 IS binoculars
Nikon SE 8x32 binoculars
Zeiss Victory 10x25 binoculars
Garrett 25x100 IF binoculars
Manfrotto 475B/501
TV and Pentax ep's
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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2660
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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For years it was galaxies, but lately globulars have been getting more eyepiece time. The bright ones like Omega Centauri, M's 13, 5, 15, 2, 3, etc, are always nice, but even the fainter ones like 5466, 5053, and the Intergalactic Wanderer (2419) are a nice challenge.
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 12230
Loc: Los Angeles
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Quote:
For years it was galaxies, but lately globulars have been getting more eyepiece time. The bright ones like Omega Centauri, M's 13, 5, 15, 2, 3, etc, are always nice, but even the fainter ones like 5466, 5053, and the Intergalactic Wanderer (2419) are a nice challenge.
Try M55 this time of year. Awesome class XII globular.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov, Fujinon Binos
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member
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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2660
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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Don, pardon my ignorance, but what is a class XII glob?
I've caught M55 along with many other brighter globs in Sagittarius, but never heard of different types. Any info would be appreciated.
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6034
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Clusters.. open and globular. 
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Authoring the monthly AstroSketch page in "Sky at Night" magazine
Lunar Sketch Tutorial
CN Gallery
Photo Gallery
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 12230
Loc: Los Angeles
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Quote:
Don, pardon my ignorance, but what is a class XII glob?
I've caught M55 along with many other brighter globs in Sagittarius, but never heard of different types. Any info would be appreciated.
Globulars are classified from I to XII, determined by core compression and concentration.
Here is a link:
http://www.deepskyobserving.com/Globular-cluster-classification.htm
Don
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov, Fujinon Binos
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member
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KWB
Postmaster
Reged: 09/30/06
Posts: 9269
Loc: Westminster,Co Elev.1646Meters
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Because of my location in a big city the showpiece globulars like M13 rivet most of my attention with my limited aperture of 10 inches. I never tire of finding them and being amazed at the sight. M3,M5,M92 are a few other of my summertime favorites. M15 is a must see for me in the fall.
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Kenny
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." - Albert Einstein
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Ken....
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/22/04
Posts: 1115
Loc: Nashua, NH, USA
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Clusters, due to their detail and observability under my light polluted skies.
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Ken....
Discovery 12.5"
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ensign
member
Reged: 12/16/08
Posts: 41
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Emission nebulae - especially M42 in Winter and the Lagoon, Trifid, Swan and Eagle in the summer because of the diversity. Using a variety of filters increases the diversity even more.
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- Mike
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Modified 10" Sky-Watcher Dob
William Optics Megrez 110/EZTouch
Nagler Type 4 - 12,17,22
Pentax XW - 10,7
William Optics UWAN 28
Siebert Observatory class 40
Other assorted items too numerous to mention
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OldDeadOne
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/09/06
Posts: 1143
Loc: West Virginia
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Galaxies,and Nebula and maybe if ever a comet sneeks in that is somewhat easily viewable and actually has a nice tail to it(man I miss Haley's....)
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Bert O'Dell
PROUD GOTO USER
LX200 10" Classic
various meade plossi's eyepieces
Konig MX70 40mm" eyepiece
11mm T6
7mm T1
Insane under a full moon
I duck from Iron Skillets
Charleston WV clearsky
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HellsKitchen
sage
Reged: 09/05/08
Posts: 356
Loc: Melbourne Australia
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Planetary Nebula and galaxies
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S 38º 00' E 145º20'
Custom 12" F/4.6 dob
10" GSO dob
Intes M500 Mak
4.5" Meade Newtonian
Set of Vixen LVWs + TV barlows + powermates
Astronomik 0III, UHC, H-beta filters
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Jim Curry
sage
Reged: 10/29/07
Posts: 434
Loc: Maine
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150+/- globulars
1000 planetary nebulae
>5000 open star clusters
1000+/- visual nebulae
untold thousands of galaxies (probably over 20,000 in a 12.5")<
Wow, this is sorta like collecting sets of coins. Some sets you can complete, others maybe not...
I have pretty dark skies so top of the list are galaxies, especially w/good conditions in winter and spring. I most enjoy threshold chasing of galaxies when conditions are really good. To catch that wraith shimmering at the edge of averted vision, to come at it from 2 directions to be sure it's for real, that makes for a satisfying evening.  Summer time interest kinda segues into clusters. Planetaries never did much for me but I'll look at them if they're on the way to my next object .
Jim
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Vixen 140 refractor
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astrotchr
member
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 21
Loc: Ohio
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Globular clusters: all the detail, no two the same, individual stars as well as the unresolved, blended core. A big wow factor for newbies. Easily spotted in binocs and finders too.
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Steven Aggas
sage
Reged: 04/15/08
Posts: 463
Loc: Arizona
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Abell Galaxy Clusters - even when I only used an 8" I'd pull as much detail as I could from the closest ones, the 20" made an awesome difference, the 36" shows them like the B&W ccd images....
Steven
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Mr. Wizard
Walking on a Dob: http://darkskyobserving.com/MtGraham.html
Elements in Harmony I, an 8"f6 German Equatorial - Stellafane Winner,
II a 20"f4.2 Newt-Dob - Astrofest Winner,
III a 6"f3.5 Finder/Newt-Dob, and
IV a 36"f4.5 Newt-Dob - "If it's up there, it's in here."
Apache-Sitgreaves Center for Astrophysics
www.DarkSkyObserving.com
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Posts: 953
Loc: Utah
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1. Planetary Nebula
2. Open Clusters (I just like observing them)
3. Globular Clusters
4. Double Stars/Multiple Star Systems
5. Carbon Stars (a member in a thread here suggested these and they are very colorful and offer some great contrast).
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Jay in Utah
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Location: Lat: 40.514N Long: -112.032W
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
— Ptolemy, c.150 AD
My Blog
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Cygnus_x1
Sketcher Extraordinaire
Reged: 11/17/04
Posts: 2400
Loc: 50N - too far north!
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Hmmm. A tricky question. I like observing all deep sky objects. However, I am particularly fond of galaxy-hunting plus planetary nebulae and globular clusters, but when I am observing only with my 8x42 binoculars then I like hunting down open clusters with them and also, under dark skies, large nebulae.
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Visual Deep Sky Observing - NEW website
Observing blog
My astronomy event photos on Flickr
12 inch Dob
8 inch Celestron C8 Newtonian
4 inch Meade SCT
8x42 Leica binoculars
Various TeleVue eyepieces
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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/30/07
Posts: 1534
Loc: SE New Mexico USA
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Oh this is a hard one here....it would have to depend on what sort of mood I'm in at the time. I would have to say for right now open clusters that sit in nebulosity. Galaxies have to be a close second. Awh heck, I like them all!
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Clear skies,
Patrick
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION
60MM TELESCOPE CLUB!
"You can always have better, but will you ever be happy with what you have?" - Me, myself, and I
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leonard
sage
Reged: 10/19/07
Posts: 218
Loc: West Virginia
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Hello ,
Globular and open clusters .
Brighter colorful doubles.
A small list of brighter galaxies I like to view
when sky transparency is high .
Taking a cruise under a dark sky through the Milky
Way with a pair of 10x70 bino's.
Leonard
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